NEW YORK - Serdar Denktas, Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) Foreign Minister & Deputy Prime Minister, said that even the smallest change in (UN Secretary General Kofi) Annan plan would necessitate holding a new referendum.
Denktas, who is currently in New York to attend the Organization of Islamic Conference (OIC) Foreign Ministers Annual Coordination Meeting, told reporters that no step was taken on ending isolation of Turkish Cypriots, stressing that they could not wait forever.
Denktas said that he would meet Kieran Prendergast, UN Under-Secretary-General for Political Affairs, on Wednesday, stating that they would express their expectations from the UN in the meeting.
Stating that he would leave for Istanbul later on to attend the EU-OIC forum, Denktas said, ''EU demanded that TRNC should attend this meeting under the name of 'Turkish Cypriot State'. Our prime minister made a statement that (this demand) could not be accepted.''
Denktas said, ''we saw during our meetings that representatives of OIC maintained the decision that the organization made during the last Istanbul meeting.''
-REGULATIONS-
Stating that the EU was exerting efforts to end isolation of Turkish Cypriots, Denktas said, ''there was three regulations prepared (to end the isolation). One of them concerned Green Line. This regulation has been enforced. Other regulations are about direct trade and financial issues. Green Line regulation alone does not mean anything . What we understand from discussions which have been going on for 2-3 months is that financial and commercial regulations won't be passed in a way that they should be. Unfortunately Greek Cypriots' initiatives, which are now a member of the EU, prevail over this issue.''
Denktas said that UN should make firm decisions, so EU countries could take bolder steps to establish direct relations with Turkish Cypriots. He added that they would try to explain this issue to Annan through Mr. Prendergast.
Stating that they did not expect an award, he said, ''Turkish Cypriots who voted in favor of the Annan plan should not be punished''.
Noting that they did not receive any official information on Annan's undertaking new initiatives (to change his plan), he noted that he would discuss the issue with Prendergast either.
(EÖ-ULG) 28.09.2004